must have a very rude
appearance--'

'It HAS a very rude appearance, Mr Pinch.'

'Yes, I feel that, sir; but the truth is, I was so surprised to see
them, and knew you would be too, that I ran home very fast indeed, and
really hadn't enough command over myself to know what I was doing very
well. I was in the church just now, sir, touching the organ for my own
amusement, when I happened to look round, and saw a gentleman and lady
standing in the aisle listening. They seemed to be strangers, sir, as
well as I could make out in the dusk; and I thought I didn't know
them; so presently I left off, and said, would they walk up into the
organ-loft, or take a seat? No, they said, they wouldn't do that; but
they thanked me for the music they had heard. In fact,' observed Tom,
blushing, 'they said, "Delicious music!" at least, SHE did; and I am
sure that was a greater pleasure and honour to me than any compliment I
could have had. I--I--beg your pardon sir;' he was all in a tremble, and
dropped his hat for the second time 'but I--I'm rather flurried, and I
fear I've wandered from the point.'

'If you will come back to it, Thomas,' said Mr Pecksniff, with an icy
look, 'I shall feel obliged.'

'Yes, sir,' returned Tom, 'certainly. They had a posting carriage at the
porch, sir, and had stopped to hear the organ, they said. And then they
said--SHE said, I mean, "I believe you live with Mr Pecksniff, sir?" I
said I had that honour, and I took the liberty, sir,' added Tom, raising
his eyes to his benefactor's face, 'of saying, as I always will and
must, with your permission, that I was under great obligations to you,
and never could express my sense of them sufficiently.'

'That,' said Mr Pecksniff, 'was very, very wrong. Take your time, Mr
Pinch.'

'Thank you, sir,' cried Tom. 'On that they asked me--she asked, I
mean--"Wasn't there a bridle road to Mr Pecksniff's house?"'

Mr Pecksniff suddenly became full of interest.

'"Without going by the Dragon?" When I said there was, and said how
happy I should be to show it 'em, they sent the carriage on by the road,
and came with me across the meadows. I left 'em at the turnstile to run
forward and tell you they were coming, and they'll be here, sir, in--in
less than a minute's time, I should say,' added Tom, fetching his breath
with difficulty.

'Now, who,' said Mr Pecksniff, pondering, 'who may these people be?'

'Bless my soul, sir!' cried Tom, 'I meant to mention that at firs